NABERS rating program expands to New Zealand

The NSW Government has announced that the NABERS program has expanded across the Tasman.

The launch of NABERS in New Zealand marks the first time the Australia’s star rating system for offices has been adopted overseas.

“The adoption of the program by our New Zealand neighbours is testament to NSW’s world-leading environmental credentials.

“More than 70 per cent of NSW’s office market has been rated with NABERS Energy for Offices, making our property sector a world leader in sustainability,” NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker said.

With many building owners and tenants having assets or offices in both Australia and New Zealand, the expansion of this tools provides a consistent management mechanism on which to raise the profile of good energy management in commercial offices.

New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority chief executive Mike Underhill said “New Zealand commercial office buildings could save 25 per cent in energy costs through improved energy management. The introduction of NABERS NZ will help building owners and tenants to realise these savings.”

Apparently the two rating programs are very similar, differing only in the way that energy was generated in New Zealand.

NSW Office of Environment and Heritage regional operations group water and energy programs director Matthew Clark said New Zealand had approached his department 12 months ago to talk about expanding the NABERS program across the Tasman.

“The commercial property market in Australia is quite sophisticated … and New Zealand can see we are achieving real success with programs like NABERS.”

Nominate a CitySwitch sustainability champion

Stepping up the war on waste

When China stopped taking most of our recyclable plastics and paper in January, Australians were presented with a new inconvenient truth. We are not always in fact recycling our commecial waste. We are collecting it. But hidden in this mountain of waste is a massive opportunity. We have a number of new resources to help your organisation to address waste.

Achieving carbon positive together

Did you know that 90 per cent of the world’s largest companies now see climate risk as a threat to their business? But it is also a significant opportunity. This is why leading Australian companies are moving quickly and decisively towards a carbon positive future. To accelerate your great work, we have launched the CitySwitch Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Emissions Tool.